1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of wrenches. In particular, the present invention relates specifically to a hex wrench using an elastic connection for control of an internal expansion profile for providing a wedge type of engagement. Known art may be found in U.S. Class 81, subclass 436, 439 448; Class 411, Subclass 403 as well as in other classes and subclasses.
2. Description of the Known Art
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, hex wrenches are well known. Patents disclosing information relevant to improved engagement tools include U.S. Pat. No. 785,162, issued to Freytag on Mar. 21, 1905; U.S. Pat. No. 2,455,005, issued to Hall on Nov. 30, 1948; U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,479, issued to Osborn et al. on Dec. 21, 1965; U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,749, issued to Learned on Nov. 22, 1966; U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,937, issued to Mezey on May 22, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,521, issued to Bien on Jan. 2, 1990; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,165, issued to Vasudeva on Jul. 27, 1999. Each of these patents is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,937 issued to Mezey on May 22, 1973 discloses a wrench having a plurality of sides is formed with a head at one end for insertion into a socket of a screw or bolt having a corresponding number of sides. A horizontally springy neck of the wrench is integral with a head and with a tip spaced axially from the head. The tip is offset circumferentially from the head approximately 5° to 10°. A similar head, springy neck and offset tip may be provided at the other end of the wrench. The wrench may be straight or L-shaped and have any number of sides greater than two.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,521 issued to Bien on Jan. 2, 1990 discloses a power driven screw driver self-gripping composite bit in the form of a pair of mirror image halved elements united at a common oblique interface providing a square end driver for reception in a screw head formed with a combined socket that accepts both a square end bit and a cross-point bit. Each halved element driver portion defines a trapezoidal cross section having major and minor parallel exterior side surfaces, a complete side surface extending at right angles to its major and minor surfaces, and a diagonal-like interface. The composite bit holder resiliently biases the halved elements interfaces into coextensive flush contact normally defining a square end driver. Upon threading torque being applied to the composite bit by a power screw driver the halved elements slip along their interfaces expanding the bit complete side surfaces in opposite directions so as to wedgingly engage their associated socket side faces into positive holding contact obviating slippage of the composite bit square end driver from the combined socket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,165 issued to Vasudeva on Jul. 27, 1999 discloses a fastener-driving tool that has a locking insert which expands or displaces to more securely lock the tool in the fastener. The tool has a distal end configured to engage a driving recess in a fastener, and has an annular recess adjacent the distal end, with a reduced cross-section at the annular recess, other than an axial circular cross-section. A locking insert having a generally similar cross-section to that of the distal end is positioned in the annular recess closely around the reduced cross-section. The locking insert may have a split portion which permits expansion of the locking insert when acted upon by the reduced cross-section as a result of rotation of the distal end relative to the locking insert, or may provide locking simply by displacement resulting from being acted upon by the reduced cross-section.
Thus, it may be seen that these prior art patents are very limited in their teaching and utilization, and an improved elastic connection hex wrench is needed to overcome these limitations.